Thunder Rosa

Thunder Rosa
Melissa Cervantes (born July 22, 1986), known by her ring name Thunder Rosa, is a Mexican-American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where she is a former AEW Women's World Champion. She debuted in 2014 and has also appeared in World Wonder Ring Stardom (Stardom), Impact Wrestling (Impact), and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).
Cervantes appeared in seasons 2 through 4 of the wrestling-based TV series Lucha Underground as Kobra Moon, leader of the Reptile Tribe; she won the Lucha Underground Trios Championship (with Daga and Jeremiah Snake). After the show ended, she resumed performing on the independent circuit, working in Women of Wrestling (WOW) in 2018 as Serpiente, and won the NWA World Women's Championship in 2019. Cervantes also founded and owns Mission Pro Wrestling (MPW), a Texas-based independent promotion devoted to women's wrestling.
Cervantes made her mixed martial arts debut in 2019 at Combate Americas.
Professional wrestling career
Early career
Cervantes made her wrestling debut in late 2014, in a Supreme Pro Wrestling battle royal in Sacramento, California. In 2015, she performed regularly throughout California, and on April 12, she made her Japanese debut for World Wonder Ring Stardom (aka "Stardom").
Lucha Underground (2015–2019)
Cervantes joined the cast of Lucha Underground in season 2 as Kobra Moon, leader of the Reptile Tribe; she would remain on the show for the remainder of its run. She was nominated for the 2015 Southern California Rookie of the Year Award and finished second to Douglas James.
In 2016 Cervantes returned to Stardom to take part in the 2016 Goddesses of Stardom Tag League, teaming with Holidead. She won the 2016 Southern California Women's Wrestler of the Year Award. She was released on March 26, 2019.
Ring of Honor (2018–2019)
On June 15, 2018, Thunder Rosa made her Ring of Honor debut on its ROH State Of The Art show, teaming with Kelly Klein against Sumie Sakai and Tenille Dashwood. On November 3 (which aired on tape delay on December 15) episode of ROH's eponymous weekly TV show, Rosa teamed with Holidead as "The Twisted Sisterz," defeating Britt Baker and Madison Rayne.
Women of Wrestling (2018–2019)
Cervantes worked through the October 2018 tapings on Women of Wrestling under her Kobra Moon ring name. Her first televised matched aired on March 1, 2019, where she was managed by Sophia Lopez as she defeated Azteca. With WOW renewed for a second season, Moon's name changed to Serpentine. On the September 14 episode of WOW, Serpentine unsuccessfully challenged Tessa Blanchard for the WOW World Championship.
Tokyo Joshi Pro (2019–2020)
On April 29, 2019, Thunder Rosa made her Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling debut, teaming with Yuki Aino against Mizuki and Yuka Sakazaki. In winning the International Princess Championship on January 5, 2020, from Maki Itoh, Rosa became the first gaijin titleholder in Tokyo Joshi Pro history. On October 7, Thunder Rosa announced she had relinquished the championship as COVID-19 restrictions precluded her from traveling to Japan.
National Wrestling Alliance (2019–2021)
Thunder Rosa made her National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) TV debut on the October 29, 2019, episode of NWA Power. After Marti Belle lost to Ashley Vox, Thunder Rosa entered the ring and extended her hand to Belle, which Belle declined as she left the ring. On the following episode, Rosa had her in-ring debut, defeating Ashley Vox and attacking her post-match. Rosa later attacked NWA World Women's Champion Allysin Kay, with Belle also attacking Kay and aligning with Rosa. On the November 19 episode of NWA Power, Belle and Thunder Rosa defeated Kay and Vox, after Melina distracted Kay, and aligning herself with Belle and Rosa. At NWA Hard Times on January 24, 2020, Thunder Rosa defeated Allysin Kay to capture the NWA World Women's Championship and also becoming the first Mexican born wrestler to win the championship. She would lose the title against Serena Deeb on October 27, 2020, at UWN Primetime Live. Fightful Select reported on July 22, 2021, that her contract in NWA was bought out by All Elite Wrestling, allowing her to sign with AEW full time. NWA wished her well via their Twitter account.
Impact Wrestling (2021)
Thunder Rosa made her Impact debut on July 17, 2021, at its annual Slammiversary PPV as the mystery opponent for Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo.
All Elite Wrestling
Debut and signing (2020–2022)
Thunder Rosa made her All Elite Wrestling (AEW) debut on the August 22, 2020, episode of Dynamite, where she cut a promo on then-AEW Women's World Champion Hikaru Shida, and challenged her to a title match at the All Out pay-per-view show. On the September 2 episode of Dynamite, Thunder Rosa made her AEW in-ring debut, where she defeated Serena Deeb. At All Out, Thunder Rosa unsuccessfully challenged Shida for the AEW Women's World Championship. On the September 16 episode of Dynamite, Rosa successfully defended her NWA World Women's Championship against Ivelisse. After the match, Rosa was attacked by Diamante and Ivelisse, and was later saved by Shida, turning Rosa face in the process. A week later on Dynamite, Rosa teamed with Shida when they defeated Diamante and Ivelisse in a tag team match. On the November 18 episode of Dynamite, Rosa fought Deeb in a rematch for the NWA Women's Championship, but would lose following outside interference from Dr. Britt Baker. After the match, Rosa brawled with Baker.
On the March 17, 2021, episode of Dynamite, Rosa and Britt Baker became the first women to main event Dynamite; Rosa defeated Baker in an intense Unsanctioned Lights Out match that was highly praised by critics, and widely viewed as breaking down sexist assumptions that women wrestlers could not wrestle a "hardcore" style match. Eleven months after her debut, on her 35th birthday July 22, 2021, it was announced that Rosa had officially signed a full-time deal with AEW. On the November 24 special episode of Dynamite being AEW Thanksgiving EVE, Rosa wrestled in the AEW TBS women's championship tournament where she faced Jamie Hayter and beat her. On the December 29 special episode of Dynamite being AEW New Year's Smash, Rosa faced Jade Cargill in the semi-finals of the TBS tournament which Rosa lost due to interference by Mercedes Martinez.
AEW Women's Championship reign (2022)
On March 6, 2022, at Revolution Rosa faced Britt Baker for the AEW Women's World Championship however due to Baker, Jamie Hayter and Rebel distracting the referee and cheating this resulted in Rosa losing. On March 16 special edition episode of Dynamite being St. Patrick's Day Slam, Rosa won her first AEW Women's World Championship after she defeated Baker in a Steel Cage match in her adoptive hometown of San Antonio, Texas. On April 16, Rosa defended her championship against Nyla Rose in the main event of AEW Battle of The Belts ll which Rosa won. On May 29 at Double or Nothing Rosa defended her championship against Serena Deeb and won. On June 8 on Dynamite Rosa successfully defended her championship against Maria Shafir. At AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door, Rosa successfully defended her championship against Toni Storm. On July 27 at Fight For The Fallen Rosa defended her championship against Miyu Yamashita which Yamashita earned a shot at after she defeated Thunder Rosa in TJPW. On August 5 at AEW Battle Of The Belts III, Rosa defeated Jamie Hayter to retain championship. On August 24 at Dynamite, Rosa revealed she could not defend her championship due to injury, which then lead to allegations claiming the injury was fake which Rosa denied. Initially the company kept Rosa's championship reign intact in her absence while moving forward with an interim champion. This decision was rescinded three months later, as it was announced on the November 23 episode of Dynamite that Rosa had relinquished her championship not only presently, but retroactively as well, with both Toni Storm and Jamie Hayter having their interim title reigns recognized as fully lineal runs with the Women's World Championship.
Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide
During Triplemanía XXX: Tijuana, Taya Valkyrie called out Thunder Rosa, asking to prove the latter is the best female wrestling from Mexico. Rosa reacted on Social Media accepting the challenge. On August 8, Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide held a media conference to confirm the match and the event's match card.
Professional wrestling style and persona
Cervantes' "Thunder Rosa" ring name is a tribute to Thunder Road, a rehabilitation center for teenagers Cervantes worked at for over two years, which overlapped with the training and launch phases of her wrestling career. It was a collaboration between Cervantes, her husband and a Thunder Road coworker on a car ride home after attending a wrestling show. Cervantes wanted a name that appealed to both Latinos and non-Latino Americans, would honor her work with teens, and be easy for fans to chant during her matches. For her finishing moves, Cervantes uses a modified scoop slam piledriver dubbed the Fire Thunder Rosa, a guillotine drop with a hammerlock dubbed the La Rosa Driver, and a dragon sleeper dubbed the Snake Sleeper.
When Cervantes' uncle attended one of her matches (at a Lucha Underground taping), he told her it was the first time he had attended a wrestling show in years. Cervantes' grandfather died of a heart attack at a Tijuana wrestling show; her uncle, then a child who watched wrestling weekly, was sitting on her grandfather's lap at the time. Due to the close, painful association of wrestling with his father's death, Cervantes' uncle had hated wrestling ever since. However, watching Cervantes wrestle rekindled his childhood love of wrestling, and convinced him she had been destined to become a wrestler. The paint also symbolizes the rebirth of Cervantes' career, after a concussion in Japan put her out of work for a month. Cervantes' husband suggested that when she resumed performing, she also resume the face paint to stand out from other wrestlers.
Mixed martial arts career
Combate Americas/Global (2019–2021; 2022)
On September 13, 2019, it was confirmed that Cervantes had signed with Combate Americas. Her first fight took place on November 8 in San Antonio, Texas. She lost the fight by unanimous decision against Nadine Mandiau. On October 10, 2021, Cervantes announced that she had officially retired from MMA when she signed a contract with All Elite Wrestling due to not having the time to commit to training.
In June 2022, it was confirmed that Thunder Rosa would return to Combate to do commentary on the July 15 and 22 shows.
Mixed martial arts record
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0–1
|Nadine Mandiau
|Decision (unanimous)
|Combate Americas: San Antonio
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|3:00
|San Antonio, Texas, United States
|
|-
Personal life
Before wrestling and during the early years of her wrestling career, Cervantes was a professional social worker, doing case work with at-risk young adults struggling with mental illness, homelessness, substance abuse and other life issues. When she realized that season three of Lucha Underground would pay enough to surpass her income as a social worker, Cervantes' husband encouraged her to focus 100% of her time and effort on wrestling.
Cervantes married Brian Cervantes on December 21, 2006, and together they have a son Anakin, born on August 31, 2005.
Cervantes graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2010 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. She became a US citizen on February 21, 2019.
Lucha Underground lawsuit
On February 6, 2019, it was reported that Cervantes, Ivelisse Vélez, Joey Ryan, and Jorge Luis Alcantar (aka, El Hijo del Fantasma/King Cuerno) had filed a class-action lawsuit in California against Lucha Underground's coproducers: the El Rey Network and the Baba-G production company. The performers alleged that their Lucha Underground contracts were illegal under California law because they unfairly restricted their ability to work in their chosen profession. In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Cervantes said that she joined Lucha Underground for season 2 under a five-year contract. However, production of the series ended after less than four full seasons' worth of episodes were made. This left Cervantes, et al.—who, as professional wrestlers in the U.S., work as independent contractors—trapped in a situation where they were effectively fired yet also contractually blocked from working for any other wrestling companies until their Lucha Underground contracts expired (i.e., at least 1–2 years later), or they each paid a US$5,000 escape clause fee. By March 26, 2019, all lawsuits had been settled in the wrestlers' favor, and they were freed from their LU contracts.
Championships and accomplishments
All Elite Wrestling
AEW Women's World Championship (1 time)
Allied Independent Wrestling Federations
AIWF International Women's Championship (1 time)
Gold Rush Pro Wrestling
GRPW Lady Luck Championship (1 time)
East Bay Pro Wrestling
EBPW Ladies Champion (1 time)
Inspire Pro Wrestling
Inspire Pro Twin Dragon Connection Championship (3 times) – with Cherry Ramons (1), Raychell Rose (1), Steve O Reno (1)
Lucha Underground
Lucha Underground Trios Championship (1 time) – with Daga and Jeremiah Snake
Mission Pro Wrestling
MPW Year-End Award (2 times)
Match of the Year Award (2020)
Moment of the Year Award (2021)
National Wrestling Alliance
NWA World Women's Championship (1 time)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Match of the Year (2021) vs. Britt Baker
Ranked No. 3 of the top 150 female wrestlers in the PWI Women's 150 in 2022
Shine Wrestling
Shine Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Holidead
SoCal Uncensored
Southern California Women's Wrestler of the Year (2016)
Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling
International Princess Championship (1 time)
Vendetta Pro Wrestling
NWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Holidead
Warrior Wrestling
Warrior Wrestling Women's Championship (1 time)
References
External links
1986 births
Living people
All Elite Wrestling personnel
American female professional wrestlers
Mexican emigrants to the United States
Mexican female mixed martial artists
Mixed martial artists utilizing wrestling
Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Mexican female professional wrestlers
Mexican practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Female Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners
Mexican YouTubers
People with acquired American citizenship
Professional wrestlers from Baja California
Professional wrestling promoters
Sportspeople from Tijuana
University of California, Berkeley alumni
21st-century American women
Expatriate professional wrestlers in Japan
21st-century professional wrestlers
AEW Women's World Champions
Lucha Underground Trios Champions
American YouTubers
NWA World Women's Champions
American video bloggers
21st-century female professional wrestlers
International Princess Champions
Professional wrestlers who use face paint